Hidden in the Past
by Cleopatra21780
Summary: The past always seems to rear its ugly head when you don't want it to, especially when you run from it. Takes place after The Memory Remains. *Chapter 3 revised and updated*
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Not mine. Thanks to Kausingkayn for being the beta for this. **

Eliot's eyes flew open as the nightmare replayed over in his head. He took a moment to take a deep breath and the feeling of Layla pressed into his side. Her head was pillowed on his shoulder and she had an arm draped across his chest. He picked up her hand, smiling at the grease under the well-manicured nails. Sighing he gently shifted her over so he could slide out of bed. Running a hand through his hair, he quietly walked across the hall. Grace was laying face down in her mattress, her legs pulled tightly up underneath her so her little bum was sticking up in the air. Eliot chuckled as he draped the blanket across his daughter, before sitting in the rocking chair. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there when he heard Layla's soft footsteps out in the hall.

"What are you doing?" Layla asked quietly from the doorway.

"Nothing." Eliot replied, standing.

"Oh come on. You only pull a Batman, when something's bothering you." She said with a smile.

Eliot chuckled, still amazed at how well she could read him. He kissed her softly and pulled her tightly to him.

"How upset would you be if I asked you to stop?" He asked her quietly.

"Stop what?" She looked up, having an idea of where he was going.

"Stop boosting cars, stop running the cons, stop everything and find a house in some small town somewhere…"

"Mr. Spencer, are you telling me that you're ready to retire?" She asked with a smile.

"Layla, I'm serious." He sighed, turning to look at Grace again.

Layla looked at Eliot, studying his features in the dimness. He was favoring his right shoulder and she knew what had brought this on. It had been a few months, but it still had him up at nights. A con gone wrong and Grace had been put in the middle of it. It was the first time Layla had to turn away from watching Eliot fight. He had screwed up his shoulder in the process, a small price to pay to keep their daughter safe. Layla had thought the nightmares had gotten better, but apparently she had been wrong.

"We'll talk to Nate in the morning." Layla told him, holding him tightly.

Eliot nodded, then smiled. "Maybe we can try to give Gracie a little brother."

"Well you know trying is half the fun." Layla laughed.

Eliot caressed her face and kissed her softly. "Thank you."

* * *

_**10 years later**_

Layla groaned as she watched the woman wave her down from across the street. She looked over at Grace, who was trying not to laugh.

"What's going on at school that she's going to try to rope me and your father into now?" She asked.

"The freshman dance." Grace replied. "She'll probably want you and daddy to chaperone."

Layla nodded and opened the car door. "Get in, maybe we can get out of here before she gets over here."

"I don't see why you guys won't just do it." Grace asked, getting in the car.

"Do you really want your father at that dance?" Layla asked with a raised brow.

"Depends, what does he think about Mike?"

"Two words: chastity belt." Layla replied, getting into the car.

Grace's eyes went wide. "Daddy wouldn't."

"I'm paraphrasing." Layla told her daughter, slamming the door shut and peeling out of the parking space.

"Doesn't daddy trust me?" She asked after a moment.

"Oh, sweetie, he trusts you. It's the boys he doesn't trust." Layla replied, squeezing Grace's hand. "Cut him a little slack, ok. He remembers what he was like at that age," She took a breath and muttered under her breath. "And I remember what he was like when we first met."

Grace raised an eyebrow and looked over at her mother. "What?"

"If you tell your father I told you this I'll deny it, but before I started dating him, your daddy's little black book was the size of a telephone book."

"Seriously?" Grace asked.

"I swear." Layla replied with a smile. She could see the gears turning in Grace's head. "Just remember, I didn't tell you that."

"Ok." Grace laughed and nodded. "Mama, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Layla smiled.

"How come you and Daddy don't talk about the past?"

Layla stared intently at the road. "What do you mean?"

"Well, like, when I was over at Beth's house the other night, her parents told us how they met and showed us pictures of their wedding." Grace explained.

Layla couldn't help but laugh. She'd love to explain to their children how she and Eliot met, just to see their faces when she told them that their Uncle asked her to steal a car and that's how she met their father. Layla rested her head on her hand while she waited at a red light.

"Grace, there are just some things in our past that we…well that we've agreed not to tell you or your brother. Unfortunately some of those things involve some milestones for me and Daddy." Layla sighed, hoping that she had explained it well.

"Like how you met?" Grace asked.

"Yeah. Well, I can tell you Uncle Nate introduced us." Layla said, thinking that she could edit most of their introduction out.

"Really? Was it love at first sight?"

Layla laughed again. "What is up with all the questions?"

"I guess after being at Beth's I realized that I really don't know what you and Daddy were like before I was born."

Layla turned the jeep down the dirt road that lead to the old farm house that they called home.

"We haven't changed, Grace." She told her. _'Much.' _She thought to herself.

Grace rolled her eyes and got out of the jeep. Stomping up the front porch past Eliot, who was leaning against the railing waiting for them.

"What's her problem?" He asked as Layla walked up the steps.

Layla laughed and rested her head against his chest. Relaxing as Eliot wrapped his arms around her.

"She was asking questions about our past." She told him.

"Like what?" He asked softly.

"Like how did we meet, or what our wedding day was like." She replied, turning around so she was resting against him.

She could feel more than hear Eliot laugh.

"It just doesn't make sense when you have to edit ninety percent of the story out." She said with a sigh.

"What brought this up?" He asked, tightening his arms around her.

"I guess her friend's parents were telling stories the other night when she was over there, so she feels we need to open up."

Eliot laughed again. "You two are so much alike it's scary."

"Yeah I know." Layla sighed again. "As long as she doesn't steal a car between now and her birthday we're good."

"She's a good kid." Eliot kissed the top of her head.

Layla turned slightly to look at him. "You need to remember that sometimes when you go overprotective gorilla on her."

"I'll try." He growled out.

"Eliot, I'm serious." She told him.

"I said I would try."

Layla sighed resting back against him again.

"James William Spencer come back here!"

Layla and Eliot both groaned at Grace's shriek. They separated and went into the house, Eliot grabbing his son as he came flying down the stairs.

"What did you do?" Eliot demanded of the ten year old.

"Nothing." The boy looked up through shaggy dark brown hair.

"James…" Eliot began.

"Give it back you little troll!" Grace demanded.

Eliot looked over at Layla, who just shrugged.

"You were the one who wanted another one." She told him.

"Yeah but you agreed…" He replied.

"I agreed it would be fun to try." Layla responded with a smirk.

"UGH! _Way _too much information!" Grace yelled placing her hands over her ears.

Layla and Eliot just laughed.

"Now, what did you take?" Layla asked her son.

"Nothing, Mama. I swear." He turned pleading eyes to her.

"Grace?" She turned to her daughter.

"My journal is missing." Grace glared at her brother. "The leather bound one that Uncle Nate got me for my birthday last year."

"Did you look in your desk drawer?" Layla asked.

"…No." Grace replied.

"You might want to look there. I tossed it in there the other day when I brought your laundry up, so someone wouldn't get any ideas." Layla told her.

"Oh." Grace muttered and turned to go back upstairs.

"Grace Ann, you want to say something?" Eliot stopped her.

She turned and mumbled an apology to her brother before disappearing up the steps again. Eliot let go of his son and pushed him off in the other direction.

* * *

"We going to survive this?" Eliot asked later when they were alone in their bedroom.

"Let's see, you've survived several bouts of torture. I've managed to live through I don't know how many car accidents, and we've both sat through Sophie's acting. I think we'll survive our kids turning into teenagers." Layla laughed, kneeling behind Eliot.

She slowly began to rub his shoulders, concentrating on his right shoulder. She watched in pleasure as he relaxed under her hands.

"Yeah but we were much younger then." He replied.

"Hey speak for yourself." She swatted at him.

Eliot laughed pulling her around so she was sitting in his lap.

"You know the kids are asleep." He told her. "You up for it?"

"Yeah I'll even go easy on you old man." She told him.

* * *

Eliot grunted as Layla landed a solid hit to his chest and swept his legs out from underneath him, causing him to land in a heap on the mats. He smirked as he grabbed her arms as he went down, pulling her with him. He knew from her giggles that their sparing session was over. It never really amounted to much, serving only as an workout and sometimes a vehicle for something more pleasurable, which was where Eliot's mind was heading as his wife remained sprawled on top of him. That was, until she sat up with a look of concern on her face.

"Did you hear that?" She asked him looking down.

"Car doors." He replied, hearing the silent clunk of a door shutting.

"I didn't hear a car, did you?" Layla asked, standing quickly.

Eliot followed suit. Their sparing room was in the back of the barn just on the other side of the house. It had both an internal and external door and could serve as a good point of observation for the rest of the property. Leaving by the external door they hunkered low and stayed close to the shadows. Four men stood next to a large black SUV. They were dressed in black and carried a small arsenal between the four of them.

Eliot growled under his breath. He knew they needed to stop them before they got into the house, cause there was no way he was letting them anywhere near his children. They moved slowly and in unison, splitting up only when they were close enough to the SUV. The four didn't know what hit them when Eliot materialized out of the darkness. He took two of them out before they had a chance to turn on him. The third one caught him by surprise, slamming the butt of his rifle into Eliot's shoulder. Eliot growled as he blocked another attack, grabbing the rifle from the other man and then slamming it in his face. The attacker fell backward hitting the ground with a loud thud.

Eliot panicked when he heard Layla scream in pain. He moved quickly around the SUV in time to see the fourth man grab his wife by the ankle, pulling her out of the driver's seat. Eliot growled and grabbed the man by the back of the head and slammed his face into the frame of the SUV. Eliot smiled as he heard a wet crunch and the man slumped to the floor. He turned toward Layla cringing as he saw her ankle swelling.

"Bastard." She muttered, sitting up.

Eliot chuckled and helped her up.

"Any idea who they are?" Eliot asked.

Layla shook her head. "But this was in their glove box."

She held out two photos. One of each of them. They weren't the most up to date, but they really hadn't change a lot in the past ten years.

"Lets clean this mess up and get the kids." Eliot said looking around. "I've got a feeling this isn't over."


	2. Chapter 2

Grace's eyes flew open as someone roughly shook her shoulder. Her eyes focused on her father's serious face. She was about to ask what was going on when she noticed the cut along his cheek, and the large bruise forming on his shoulder.

"Daddy…"

"Get up, get your shoes on and get downstairs." Eliot ordered, there'd be time for explanations later.

"But, Daddy…"

"Now Grace Ann."

She looked at him oddly, but did what he said. She walked out of her room just in time to see Layla push her brother out the door of his bedroom. He was trying to ask the same questions she had, with as much luck. When Layla turned to her, she was taken back by the dark bruise forming along her mother's jaw.

"Take your brother and get him in the jeep." She instructed her daughter, pushing James into her. "Don't ask any questions. If you see or hear anyone, at all, start the jeep and get to Randy's house, we'll meet you there as soon as possible." She handed the keys to the jeep to Grace, and almost pushed them down the stairs.

It was when Layla turned to go back toward their bedroom that Grace noticed her mother was limping as well. Grace grabbed her brother and dragged him down the steps and out to the jeep.

Layla entered the bedroom just as a cell phone was tossed at her. She caught it without thinking, placing it to her ear. She took a step back as Eliot stalked past her, a look of frustration and anger on his face.

"Hardison, how many times do I have to tell you not to piss off my husband?" Layla asked without thinking.

"Funny." The hacker replied. "As I was trying to explain to Eliot, I don't see anything. You guys haven't pinged in over a decade."

"Well someone's out there, who wants our heads." Layla told him.

"Then it's gotta be one of the past marks." He said thoughtfully. "Why don't you two try and make a list and I'll see if anything pops up."

"Ok I'll see what we can do." She sighed. "Thanks, Hardison."

Layla closed the phone and looked over at Eliot. He stood in the doorway with a large black duffel bag. It was something she hadn't wanted to see. The bag held their contingency plan for a moment just like this. When they had moved into the house, Eliot had put it in the crawl space in their closet, pulling it out every so often to update it. She had hoped that she would never see that bag again. Eliot smiled sadly reaching for her hand as she pulled the door closed.

* * *

"Are Mama and Daddy in trouble?" James asked.

"I don't know." Grace replied, her stomach clinching in fear as she scanned the darkness for any signs of movement.

"Mama looked like she'd been in a fight." He told his sister.

"So did Daddy." Grace replied, remembering the bruise on her father's shoulder.

"I didn't hear anything, did you?" James asked after a few moments.

Grace shook her head, heaving a sigh of relief at the sight of her parents running out the front door. Eliot carried a large duffle bag over his shoulder, that he tossed haphazardly into the back before getting in on the passengers side of the car. Layla slid into the driver's side, instructing them all to buckle up before slamming down on the gas. The tires spun briefly on the loose gravel before they gained their traction and flew off down the road.

It was a first for Grace. She had never seen her father let her mother drive with him in the car before, and never in her life had she see her mother drive like she was. She knew she had to be doing at least ninety, if not more. She sat back trying to take everything in, that was going on. With in moments she was sound asleep along with her brother.

"Eliot?" Layla asked after half an hour of silence.

"We're good." He replied, looking behind them.

He had been watching for a tail since they left the house. He was grateful there was none. He wasn't in the mood to have to undergo his wife's version of combat driving. It was then that his phone rang. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the caller ID.

"Nate." Eliot told Layla. "Yeah?"

"Hardison's got you reservations at the," He paused as he listened to something Eliot couldn't hear. "Pine Forest Inn. He's going to text you the name to use. Sophie and I are getting on a plane as we speak, we'll meet you there."

"Thanks." Eliot replied before hanging up. "Pine Forest Inn."

Layla nodded and turned down the next road. She took a look in the rearview at the backseat and breathed a sigh of relief to see her children asleep.

"You know the people at the hotel are going to think that you beat me." She said with a grin.

Eliot snorted. "How's the ankle?"

"To be honest I'd forgotten about it. Must be the adrenaline." She replied. "How did they know where to find us?"

Eliot shrugged. "I just wished I knew who they were."

"You make a list?" She asked.

"Too long to even think about right now." He said with a sigh.

"Well it had to be someone that we both pissed off." She told him. "That list can't be that long."

"Six years." He replied quietly.

"Huh?"

"Six years from the time we met to the time we quit." Eliot replied. "A con a month at least, that's still…"

"A lot of people we could have pissed off." She finished.

Her ankle throbbed painfully now that Eliot said something about it. She had a feeling by the time they got to the inn Eliot would be carrying her to the room. She looked in the mirror again and sighed.

"We're going to have to tell them." Layla told him softly.

"Yeah that's going to go over well. 'Hey kids you mama used to steal cars for a living and your daddy beat people, but don't worry that was long before you were born. Now someone they really pissed off has finally found them after sixteen years.'"

Layla sighed. "Eliot,"

"Layla, there's a reason we agreed not to tell them what we used to do." He growled out.

Layla slammed on the breaks, regretting it almost immediately as pain shot up her leg from the jerking of the car coming to a sudden stop. She turned in her seat to face her husband.

"And now we do. I'd rather them know about our past and be prepared for whatever might happen, then for us to…" The stress from the night started to overwhelm her as she fought back the tears.

He growled under his breath and cupped her cheek.

"Ok, we'll sit them down and tell them before Nate and Sophie get here." He kissed her softly. "I hate it when you cry."

Layla smiled as his thumb wiped at a few stray tears. She kissed him again before moving along the road again.

"Look on the bright side," Layla started. "Grace will finally get full details on how we met."

Eliot laughed. "Yeah. I can hear her telling her friends now, on Mama and Daddy's first date they stole a car."

Layla paused and thought for a moment. She had always thought their first date to be at the hole in the wall Chinese place around the corner from Nate's apartment. They had ordered a family size platter of Kung Pow chicken and talked.

"You think of our first con as our first date?" Layla finally asked.

She could see him smile in the dimness of the jeep.

"I bitched and moaned for three days when Nate told the rest of us he was going to bring you in. I didn't want some stranger interfering in our business, and then I saw you." He turned slightly. "Sitting on Nate's couch dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, your hair falling in your face."

He remained quiet for a few moments, his hand reaching out to rest on her thigh.

"I knew you were going to be trouble for me from the start." He laughed. "So yeah I guess that's why I think of that as our first date."

Layla laughed as she pulled onto the highway.

* * *

Grace watched silently as the water churned around her feet. She had stormed out of the hotel room the moment her parents opened up to her and her brother. She was still having problems putting her head around the concept that her parents were criminals. That they weren't the good people she had grown up believing they were, and that's why someone was after them now.

"Are you a crook too?" Grace asked in a huff. She had somehow known he'd be the one to come looking for her.

Nate sighed heavily and sat down next to Grace.

"It's complicated." He replied.

"Yeah, yeah that's what Mama and Daddy were saying." She snorted. "You either are or you aren't."

"Things aren't always so black and white, Gracie." Nate replied. "Sometimes the bad guys are the only good guys you get."

She turned to finally look at him. "What?"

"You've read _Robin Hood_. He was a thief, and a good guy…"

"You're trying to tell me you're Robin Hood." Grace laughed.

Nate smiled as he pulled his socks and shoes off, letting his feet join hers in the water.

"I'm saying that sometimes doing the wrong things for the right reasons is sometimes just as good as doing the right things for the right reasons." He smiled a little more.

"But they didn't always do what they did for the right reasons, did they?" Grace asked, sounding much older than she was.

"No, they didn't." Nate wasn't going to lie to her.

Nate could tell that she was finally starting to process what was being told to her. He heard her sigh and lean into him.

"Were they good?"

"Huh?" Nate asked, looking down.

"Were Mama and Daddy good at what they did?" She asked, the curiosity evident in her voice.

"They were the best." Nate replied with a smile.

"Good." Grace smiled.

* * *

"You ok?" Layla asked as she closed the bathroom door behind her.

Sophie had taken James with her to get some food and hopefully meet up with Nate and Grace, leaving the two alone in the hotel room.

"She hates us, Layla." He replied looking at her through the bathroom mirror.

"She doesn't hate us." Layla replied wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. "She's just confused. Nate will help."

"Yeah." He sighed. "You shouldn't be up on that ankle."

Layla snorted. "It's fine."

"Like the time you sprained your elbow?" Eliot asked with a raised brow.

"You're one to talk." She shot back, pushing open the bathroom door.

She was still standing in the doorway, when pain shot through her entire body. She vaguely heard Eliot scream her name before there was more pain and a flash of colors behind her eyes. After that the world was dark.


	3. Chapter 3

Eliot groaned as he forced himself awake. He was laying of something soft, not what he was expecting after being tasered unconscious. Sitting in a mettle chair with his hands duct taped to the arms, yeah, but not laying in a bed covered in a down comforter.

"It's about time you woke up." Layla told him. "My arm's starting to go numb."

He shifted slowly letting her pull her arm out from underneath him. When his own arm jerked in response, he looked down to see their wrists cuffed together.

"Sonofa…" He growled.

"Well this narrows down our list a bit." Layla muttered. "How many people do we know, that want us dead, that'll put us in a bed before they kill us?"

"Not a lot." He replied.

The double doors at the end of the room swung open and a short woman, in a tailored suit walked in. She smiled at them and clasped her hands behind her back.

"You are awake, good." She said in a clipped tone, a faint trace of a German accent. "You host wishes that you dress for dinner."

She made a motion with her hand and two more women entered carrying garment bags. They hung them on the wardrobe, leaving as quickly as they had entered.

"You will find everything you need in those bags, including a key to your handcuffs." She smirked slightly. "I will return in an hour to escort you down to dinner, please try to be ready by then."

With that she turned sharply and left the room. Eliot and Layla looked at each other before getting off the bed. They walked slowly over to the wardrobe and opened the garment bags. The key for the cuffs hung by a small hook on the inside of the bag that held a black pinstriped suit. Eliot pulled the key off the hook and unlocked the cuff attached to Layla's wrist. She smiled and rubbed her wrist gently, before bolting off toward, what Eliot could only assume was the bathroom. Chuckling he unlocked his own cuff, tossing the offending object on the round table next to him. Everything seemed eerily familiar, like he had been in this very room before, but couldn't quite place it.

He heard the sound of running water and smiled. He carefully followed the path Layla had taken just moments before, pushing open the door to a steam filled room. Quietly he closed the door before removing his clothes, and joining his wife in the shower. She barely flinched as his rough hands sought out knotted muscles. She sighed and leaned back against his broad chest.

"Nate and Sophie are with them, they'll be fine." He whispered, as if reading her mind.

"I know." She replied just as quietly.

He kissed the base of her neck, before reaching for the one of the bottles carefully sitting on the marble ledge. He poured a small amount of the sweet smelling liquid into his hands, rubbing them together before plunging them into his wife's thick hair. The effect was almost instantaneous, Layla moaned and melted under his actions. It was what he wanted, he wanted her relaxed. Eliot didn't know what was waiting for them beyond the room outside, and they both needed to be relaxed and prepared for anything.

They spent the rest of the shower in silence. Layla slipping out moments before Eliot. She wrapped herself in one of the plush towels hanging on the rack, then padded back to the bedroom. She stared at the garment bag a few moments before digging into it. She was amazed to find such an assortment of things in what seemed to be a bottomless bag. She pulled out a brush and set it aside, before pulling out a thin box, wrapped in a pink ribbon. Taking the box and brush with her she sat down on the bed. She took a deep breath as she tugged on the ribbon till it fluttered down to the floor. She gasped as she opened the box to find delicate silk and lace wrapped in tissue paper.

"Should I be jealous?"

Layla turned slightly, to see Eliot standing at the foot of the bed, towel draped around his waist and arms crossed over his bare chest. His tone sounded teasing but the look on his face was anything but. Layla shrugged, pulling out the delicate lace undergarments. She grinned as he growled something under his breath and stomped off. By the time the large double doors opened again, Eliot was fixing his tie and Layla was slipping on the shoes that matched her dress. The same woman who dropped off the garment bags earlier walked back in, this time with two heavily armed guards. Layla shot Eliot a look as she stood up.

"If you will please follow me." She told them in the same clipped tone.

Eliot smiled and offered his arm to Layla. She returned the smile and slipped her arm through his.

"If you would please," The woman held up the handcuffs again, taking the key and placing it in her pocket.

Layla and Eliot held out their wrists, the woman smirked and placed the handcuffs around their wrists.

"Always the perfect accessory." Layla replied, holding up their wrists.

Eliot smirked as they followed the woman out of the room, the two guards following close behind.

Eliot kept his eyes open as they traveled down the long corridor. He wanted to keep an eye out for any possible exits. The feeling of déjà vu returned as they continued down the dark corridor. They turned the corner and were lead into a dinning room. At the end of the long table sat an older man dressed in a suit similar to Eliot's, he had his fingers steeple together and a smirk on his face.

"Merrik." Eliot growled.

"Victor." Layla replied at the same time.

They stole a glance at each other as they realized they both knew the man sitting before them.

"You two were quite difficult to find." Merrik said with a small smile, pouring wine into glasses. "And then to find out you two had gotten married…I always knew you would make a good couple. Elsa, please take the cuffs off."

The woman nodded curtly, unlocking the cuffs.

"Please sit." Merrik waved his hand to the chairs on either side of him. "We have much to discuss."

Eliot and Layla glanced at each other before separating and going to their seats.

"I've got something." Hardison told Nate.

Nate groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. When they had discovered that Layla and Eliot were missing they had taken the kids to a safe house. Hardison and Parker were waiting for them there.

"What is it?" Nate asked leaning over the hacker's shoulder.

"I picked this up from the security cameras at the motel." Hardison said pointing to the laptop screen.

The images passing on the screen showed two large men dragging Eliot down to a black SUV, a third man behind them had Layla thrown over his shoulder.

"I was able to get a good look at the plate, but so far nothing's come up. I was able to follow them until they got on the interstate, but I've got facial recognition going on all three of the guys. So now we've got to wait." Hardison replied with a sigh.

"At least it's something." Nate patted the hacker on the shoulder.

"What about you?" Hardison turned to look at Nate.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well you know the most about all of us. Anything, and I do mean anything, in their past that would cause this?" Hardison asked, hoping for something.

Nate stopped his pacing and took a seat next to the hacker. He thought for a moment, going through information he hadn't had to think about in almost twenty years. He sighed heavily and rubbed a hand over his face as he drew a blank.

"I've got nothing." Nate replied.

"It was worth a shot, man." Hardison replied, smiling as Parker wondered over. "How are the kids doing?"

"James's just confused, and Grace is pissed." Parker shrugged. "Sophie's trying to get them to go to sleep."

"I found this for you to sleep in." Sophie told Grace as she came into the bedroom.

She held out the flannel for Grace, who took it roughly from the grifter. She looked down at the soft shirt and started to cry. Sophie automatically wrapped the girl in a hug, guiding her to the bed and sitting down.

"I really want to be angry with them." Grace told Sophie.

"I know, sweetie." She kissed the top of Grace's head.

"And now I might never see them again." Grace sobbed.

"Now listen to me, Grace Ann Spencer," Sophie gently gripped her chin, forcing her to look at her. "We are going to find them. No matter what it takes, we are going to find them."

Grace nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Now change and climb into bed. You need your rest." She patted Grace on the back.

Grace nodded again, getting up.

"Aunt Sophie?" She turned slightly to look at the grifter.

"Hmm?"

"Could you stay with me? Just until I fall asleep."

Sophie's chest ached. She hadn't seen Grace like this since she was a little girl, afraid of the monsters trying to take her away. She seemed so fragile at the moment, so unlike herself. Then it hit Sophie. She had seen this fragileness before, in the hallway of the hospital when they thought Eliot was lost to them for good. Layla had looked fragile then. Sophie nodded blinking quickly to prevent unshed tears from falling.

"Let me go talk to Uncle Nate. I'll be right back."

Sophie left Grace to get dressed. To her surprise she found James sitting next to Parker, with his head on her shoulder. He didn't look quite as fragile as his sister did, but he didn't look like quite right either. He was staring intently at Hardison working on his laptop with a distant look. She turned as she felt a hand on her arm.

"Everything ok?" Nate asked, handing her a cup of tea.

"Grace wants me to stay with her until she falls asleep." She told him quietly. "Nate, what happens if we can't find them in time?"

"We'll worry about that if we need to." Nate told her gently.

He refused to even think about the thick envelope that was shoved to the bottom of his duffle bag. The one Eliot had made sure to give him when he got to the motel. The one that gave him and Sophie joint custody with Parker and Hardison because they didn't want to choose. The one that provided him with the account numbers to Swiss and Caymans banks, so that the kids would be taken care of. He refused to think about that. He shook his head slightly and kissed Sophie on her cheek.

"Right now let's just concentrate on finding them and keeping the kids safe."

Sophie nodded, gathering some strength from Nate. She hugged her mug closer and quietly returned to the bedroom.

When Victor told them that they had much to talk about, they both had thought that he had a job for them. Instead he made small talk. Apologizing for the way they were manhandled, but as he explained he had a feeling there was no other way. After two courses of this, they had had enough.

"What is it that you really want Victor?" Layla asked with a sigh.

"Can't old friends catch up?" Merrik replied. "I've been keeping silent tabs on you, that is until you both completely dropped off the grid. I don't blame you either. There are people out there that would pay quite a bit for your heads. Especially your's Eliot."

"Is that a threat?" Eliot growled.

Merrik laughed. "No, just a statement. Do you two know that I was the one to actually introduce the two of you?"

Layla met Eliot's eyes questioningly. Eliot just shrugged a bit, he was just as confused as she was.

"Yes, right here." Merrik repeated fondly. "It was at my annual Masked Ball."

They knew the ball well. Everyone knew about Merrik's infamous Mask. It was an honor just to be asked to go, an honor that very few people turned down. The whole purpose of the Mask was for Merrik to wine and dine his cliental, and certain people in his employment. It was a good place to acquire jobs. Granted, Merrik made the rules absolutely clear, no business transactions were to take place at the ball. If contact information was exchanged, and business was conducted after, no one else would know.

Eliot watched as Layla went pale and avoid his probing eyes. Eliot remembered that night. It was the one and only time he went to the ball. He had just learned of Amiee's wedding and wanted something to take his mind off of things. He had gotten bored with all the people, there being only a handful of them he even considered doing jobs for. So he had wondered off, only to find himself alone with another guest. They had made small talk about some painting that was hanging on the wall, then there was a subtle brushing of hands, followed by searing kisses and sequestered in a room for the rest of the night. They didn't use names or remove the masks that guarded their faces so anonymity remained in place. That's when it hit him that Layla was the one he met that night. He studied his wife again knowing that she had figured this out long before he had and it made him wonder why didn't tell him.

"Now that we're all on the same page," Merrik started. "The mask is tomorrow night and you both need to be there. I have a client that needs both of your talents and I made a promise that you'd be there."

"Why us?" Layla asked after finding her voice again.

"Because, my dear, you two are the best. There hasn't been anyone like either one of you since you retired. And I've made a very special exception for this client." Merrik replied with a calculating smile. "That and if you refuse…well let's just say that the safe house your friends have your children isn't as safe as they think."

Merrik had them returned to their room shortly after their conversation was over. Layla could feel the anger radiate off her husband, making even her give him more space than she usually would have. She hadn't seen him this angry in a very long time and she couldn't help but wonder how much of that anger was directed at her. She sighed heavily as she pulled her ankle up on the bed. The swelling had gone down, but it still throbbed painfully. She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Strong hands gently wrapped around her ankle, rubbing it softly.

Layla looked at Eliot through hooded eyes. She could tell some of the anger had burned off.

She sighed again. "I'm sorry I didn't…"

Eliot looked up at her and gave her a half smile. "S'ok. It wouldn't have mattered." He replied and let his fingers trail up her calf.

Layla smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

"You know this is a set up right?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah." He replied gruffly.

She grabbed his hand and squeezed tightly. "No matter what Merrik says I know the kids are safe." She paused briefly. "And if we have to go, lets make sure they'll remember us."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Short I know, sorry. And if you haven't go back and re-read ch 3. I kinda revised it a bit ****J**

"Nate." Hardison whispered motioning for the Mastermind.

"What is it." Nate asked, shifting quietly so he could look over the hacker's shoulder.

"It took me a while, I had to go through about twenty shell companies, but I traced the plates on the SUV back to Ground Works…"

"Victor Merrick." Nate rubbed a hand over his face. "I should have known."

"You know this guy?" Hardison asked turning to look at Nate.

"He had IYS insure a few things for him." Nate replied. "Not everything was clean, but there was no solid proof that it had been stolen."

"Let me guess he was fond of rare objects…"

"And even rarer cars." Nate finished for Hardison. "Layla and Eliot probably worked together and didn't even realize it."

"So what does he want with them now?"

Nate shrugged, absently staring at the computer screen.

"Where would he have taken them?" Nate muttered.

"We'll he's got a small fortress about two hours from here." Hardison replied, hands flying over the keyboard. "His secretary has tomorrow highlighted on the calendar. All it says is party."

Nate laughed and rubbed a hand over his face.

"What?" Hardison asked looking at the Mastermind like he'd finally lost it.

"Merrik is known for throwing this elaborate masked ball every year." Nate replied still chuckling.

"I've been to it once…or maybe it was twice." Parker informed them, suddenly appearing across the table from Hardison and Nate. "It was fun. No one knew each other, except for Merrik…"

"And the guest list reads like the who's who of thieves, black market dealers and the overly wealthy." Sophie imputed as she joined the small group at the table. "It's Merrik's version of networking."

"So you think what ever he wanted Eliot and Layla for is going down tomorrow?" Hardison asked.

"It wouldn't make sense." Sophie replied.

"Yeah, Merrik has a list of rules a mile long in regards to the party. No weapons, no money transactions, no…"

"The only thing you are aloud to do is exchange contact information." Nate cut Parker's rant off. "He must have made an exception."

"And getting paid something fierce." Hardison replied. "He just had 5 mil deposited in his account two days before Eliot and Layla were jacked."

Nate ran a hand over his face again. "OK. So here's what we're going to do. Hardison try and find out who that payment came from. Sophie, you and I are going to get into that party…somehow."

Nate looked over at Parker and nodded. The blond stood up and left the room.

"Nate?" Sophie questioned quietly.

"She already knows what to do."

* * *

"I knew Mama and Daddy weren't right." James informed his sister from the bed across from her.

"How?" Grace asked propping her head on her hand.

"Remember when Beth's mama thought she locked her keys in the car?" He asked turning to face her.

"Yeah." Grace nodded.

"I watched Mama break into the car and unlock it." He said with a smile.

"And you didn't tell me?" Grace asked, sitting up.

"Mama asked me not to." He shrugged. "Especially Daddy."

Grace sat up as well. "OH, it's like when we were out at the amusement park a few years ago where that one guy tried to push past us in line."

"You mean the really tall one with all the tattoos? The one that called Daddy shorty?" James laughed.

"That's him. Daddy dropped him to his knees, just by grabbing his hand. After that Daddy asked me not to tell Mama." Grace replied, the pieces starting to fit together like a puzzle.

They sat there in silence for a while going through their memories, pinpointing the times where it was obvious about their parents past.

"We've got to help them." James said suddenly.

"How?" Grace asked.

James shrugged. "Dunno, but I'm going to tell Uncle Nate that we want to help."

"He's going to tell us no." Grace replied, getting up to follow her brother.

"Since when has that stopped you." James turned to glare at his sister. "According to Daddy, you and Mama don't know the meaning of the word."

Grace smiled. "Daddy is always telling me we're exactly a like."

"Uh-huh." Was all James could mutter as they made their way into the living room of the house.


End file.
